"Lashed to the Mast" - Plein Air painting as extreme sport

I wanted to try painting a large canvas of the spectacular view of Goat Island from Moore's Wharf for my solo exhibition "From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo" which is now on display at the Frances Keevil Gallery.

I never do anything by halves, so I got the biggest canvas that would fit inside my station wagon - 122 x 183cm!

My Artist's Studio in a suitcase

I always pack my paint, brushes and other necessary items such as lunch into trolley luggage, as it is less of a strain on my back than carrying a bag. When I use a small easel, such as a French box easel, I also pack it into trolley luggage so I can roll or drag it rather than have to carry it.
I was worried about the canvas going hang-gliding over Sydney Harbour, or even snapping in two which happened while I was painting the Sydney Heritage Fleet from Blackwattle Bay.
The solution was to take a studio easel as well as a French box easel, and to use cable ties to secure the canvas to the studio easel, and the easel to a large chunk of timber.
The most important thing is not to forget to bring a good sharp pair of scissors to remove the cable ties!
The studio easel had casters so I could move it around without too much trouble. I used the French box easel to store my paint, medium and brushes.

I've had to cable tie the large canvas to my studio easel

The renowned 19th century marine painter J.M.W.Turner used to boast that he was once "lashed to the mast" to witness a storm at sea as inspiration.

I've had to cable tie the large canvas

to my studio easel- and then cable tie

the easel to a timber block!

I've always loved Turner's paintings and now I feel that I am literally following in his footsteps!

Timber block and easel

Quite literally.

Like Turner,who also had a predilection for painting enormous canvases, I'm also very short, so I had to stand on this useful block of wood so I could reach up to paint the sky!

Timber block and easel used by
plein air painter Jane Bennett

It felt like a long way down!

Starting a large plein air painting

of Goat Island from Moore's Wharf

about 7.30am.

I like to prime the canvas with a coloured ground before I paint. This technique is called "imprimatura" and it helps to reduce the glare reflected by a white canvas outdoors, as well as giving more depth to the tones.

Usually I prime a canvas blue when I'm about to paint Sydney Harbour, but this black primed canvas was originally intended for an interior of the Eveleigh Railway workshops.
Another essential ingredient is really good coffee, as you can see from the plunger on the chair. I always pack a non-leaking thermos of hot water in my trolley luggage. Unfortunately the milk has to be longlife UHT milk, as fresh milk will go off in the sun by the afternoon, and there isn't always any shade where I paint, as I mostly paint on wharves or industrial sites.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about 8am

Black actually turned out to be a good choice. 
The day started bright and sunny, but the clouds gathered quickly. 
The calm morning Sydney Harbour seascape I had originally intended to paint was soon transformed into a brooding study of an impending storm.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about 9am

 Plein air painting is full of abrupt changes of mood and direction, which is why I enjoy it so much.
It feels almost as much like a sport as art.
The amount of physical strength involved in just being able to handle a canvas of this size out in the open air is surprising. I have to work out just so I can keep lugging my easels up and down stairs.
The other thing that is underestimated by the people who view the finished canvas in a pristine white-walled gallery, is the amount of concentration required to sustain the atmosphere over the hours required to finish a work of this size.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about 9.30am

 Light, shadow and colours of the sea and sky change constantly, and it takes the reflexes of an elite tennis player to even attempt to capture these fleeting effects.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about 10am

Apart from the skill needed to paint these fleeting effects, it also takes a great deal of experience and judgement to decide which are worth capturing.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about 11am

 By noon, I had most of the canvas painted,and it was looking very promising, but an hour later the weather had changed dramatically.
Dark clouds started to cover the sky and the sea changed colour from turquoise to prussian blue, then to slate grey.
The wind whipped up, and I had to decide whether it was too risky to continue.

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about noon

If I decided to continue the painting on another day with similar weather conditions, there was the risk of not being able to complete it in time for my exhibition. On the other hand, if I pressed on, it might get so windy that it would be physically dangerous to keep on painting.
I had almost as much canvas to cope with as some of the smaller yachts out on the harbour, who were starting to have trouble.
And if I wasn't careful, my canvas would have travelled just as fast in the wrong direction!

My large plein air painting of
Goat Island from Moore's Wharf
at about noon

 Also, the colour, mood and light conditions were so different from when I started that it would mean repainting almost everything!
The sensible choice probably would have been to put the canvas away and start a small study of the stormy conditions.
But I liked the dramatic light effects so much that I took a calculated risk and quickly repainted the canvas to reflect the changed conditions.

The completed canvas

'Storm, Goat Island' 2013
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm

Enquiries about this painting

I had to work very quickly. I didn't dare take a break for lunch in case my canvas wouldn't be there when I got back.
But I'm glad that I took the risk, as the canvas has really captured the colour and mood.
The brilliant yellow buoys surrounding the excavation of the North Barangaroo Headland Park contrast strongly with the ominous sky and dark, choppy sea.

'Storm, Goat Island' 2013
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm

Enquiries about this painting

 Art vs. life!

'Storm, Goat Island' 2013
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm

Enquiries about this painting

This photo best shows the painting in context with the landscape.

However large the canvas actually is, it will always look like a postage stamp compared with the real thing. I can assure you that this canvas is a lot bigger than I am!(I am 5' 1" which is fairly short even for a girl.)
By the time I took these photos, I was so worried about the canvas blowing away that I had to cable tie it to the container - I didn't dare risk putting it on the easel!

'Storm, Goat Island' 2013
oil on canvas 122 x 183cm

Enquiries about this painting

And finally a few days later, here it is hanging in my solo exhibition "From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo" at the Frances Keevil Gallery. 

 

Related posts

Artist in Residence-Sydney Heritage Fleet Part 4

From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo

Painting the 'Poolya' at Glebe Island

Barangaroo - Where Art, Architecture, History, Politics and Economics meet

The discussion "Why the hullaballoo about Barangaroo? Where Art, Architecture, History, Politics and Economics meet" was held on Sunday 10th March, in the courtyard of the Frances Keevil Gallery, where my solo exhibition "From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo" continues until Sunday March 24th.

This was a brave experiment.

Neither Frances nor myself have ever put together anything like this before.

It was well worth it! The conversation between the panel members was informative, entertaining and at times passionate and stirring. The audience was enthralled - many of them stayed on afterwards to ask questions, take photos and even get autographs!

Meet the distinguished panel: 

From left to right : 

Philip Thalis, Dr Jack Mundey AO, Alex Greenwich MP, John McInerney, Dr Graham Jahn AM

And the facilitator for the event, the renowned investigative journalist, Quentin Dempster.

From left to right - 

 Dr Jack Mundey AO, Alex Greenwich MP, John McInerney, Dr Graham Jahn AM, Quentin Dempster, and Frances Keevil, Director of the Frances Keevil Gallery.

Dr Jack Mundey AO, is the legendary elder statesman of activism. He spoke movingly of the history of the famous Green Bans, in which as secretary of the New South Wales Builders' Labourers Federation (BLF), he led a successful campaign to protect the built and natural environment of Sydney from inappropriate development.
Apart from his unique credentials as a champion of heritage and sustainable urban planning, Jack had played an important part at the beginning of the story of the Barangaroo development.
 In 2006, Jack was a member of the jury to choose the design for Barangaroo. The jury had unanimously selected the design by the team headed by Philip Thalis - which bizarrely has now been completely discarded by LendLease, the developers of the site.
Incidentally, LendLease's design had come a distant second in the initial competition.

Philip Thalis, deep in thought.
Philip Thalis is the principal of Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects. 
His design team won the competition to design Barangaroo - yet their design has not been adopted for the actual construction.

Philip Thalis gave a thought-provoking speech pointing out flaws in both the process and the design.The contrast between the potential of what Barangaroo, could and should have been, and the unfortunate reality was made completely clear to the audience.

John McInerney, previously for many years a Councillor of the City of Sydney, is now the "President of Australians for Sustainable Development". He has a wealth of experience in how councils and the State government interact throughout the stages of planning and development, and provided startling images of the impact of the Barangaroo buildings which are currently under construction.

John McInerney examined many of the peculiarities of the entire planning process of the controversial Barangaroo project, and exposed some very disturbing implications for the future of Sydney. Most people in the audience had not previously grasped the consequences of some of these decisions and were completely gobsmacked.

 

Alex Greenwich MP in action. 
His speech about the development of Barangaroo being used as a "Trojan Horse" to  force the displacement of the residents of Millers Point, was passionate and articulate.

Dr Graham Jahn AM, Director of Planning and Transport at the City of Sydney.

Dr Graham Jahn AM, added some background detail.

Quentin Dempster was a wonderful choice as facilitator for the discussion. His polite, yet probing questions brought out the best in the panel. The chaotic and complex narrative of the planning process behind Barangaroo was revealed to the eager audience.

Dr Jack Mundey AO, Alex Greenwich MP, John McInerney - 3 champions of social justice.

Jack and me 

 

 

I can't thank all the participants enough for their wonderful efforts to make this discussion a success!
And I am just as grateful to Lynn and Frances, Directors of the Frances Keevil Gallery for stepping well outside their comfort zone to host this event at the gallery and to organize it so well.

Related posts

From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo 

Storm Warning, Goat Island 

Lashed to the Mast

An April update 

Why the Hullaballoo about Barangaroo

Why the hullaballoo about Barangaroo?

 Panel Discussion at the Frances Keevil Gallery
Why the hullaballoo about Barangaroo? 

Where Art, Architecture, History, Politics and Economics meet

2 – 4pm Sunday March 10

DH248 'The wharves and High St
from the Stamford on Kent'
2007 oil on canvas 75 x 100cm

Enquiries about this painting

Other Enquiries

It's that time of year again.

Galleries and collectors are slowly waking up after their annual summer hibernation. The Art market is as seasonal as fruit-picking. 

March is "Art Month".All of the galleries bring out the big guns to impress. 
My solo exhibition "From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo" is the signature event of the Frances Keevil Gallery for Art Month.
Instead of doing the usual artist's talk to accompany the show I thought that I'd try something a bit different.
The trouble with artist's talks is that they probably only really interest other artists.
So what would interest the average Sydney-sider?
How about ludicrous amounts of money, murky politics, waterfront real estate to die for ..... and a little whiff of scandal? Sounds very Sydney to me.

After a great deal of thought, many emails and even more phone calls, I have put together  a carefully selected panel for a no holds barred discussion about Barangaroo.

I hope that it will be a balanced yet informative discussion. Some past history and controversy will be aired, but it's an opportunity to discuss some of the many complex issues raised by the Barangaroo development in front of the exhibition of paintings I actually created on the site.
The  participants are:

Graham Jahn AM Director City Planning Development and Transport, City of Sydney
Dr Jack Mundey AO legendary activist and 'Grandfather of the Green Bans', who was also a member of the jury that chose the original design for Barangaroo
Philip Thalis principal of Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects, whose design team won the competition to design Barangaroo - yet whose design has not been adopted for the actual construction.
John McInerney

former Councillor of the City of Sydney and now President of "Australians for Sustainable Development". John also actually lives in Millers Point.

Related posts

'From the Hungry Mile to Barangaroo'
Storm warning, Goat Island
"See the sites"Elizabeth Fortescue The Daily Telegraph  March 02, 2013

Macdonaldtown - A Station without a suburb

I was asked by the National Trust After Hours Committee if I could help with a heritage walk "Macdonaldtown Meander" on Sunday 3rd March.

This was quite a challenge.

I have painted Macdonaldtown's majestic neighbour,the Eveleigh Railway Workshops many times,but Macdonaldtown itself had never appeared as an obvious source of inspiration.

But I was intrigued and decided to explore. I'm glad that I did. Often I can concentrate on more obviously spectacular vistas, and miss the subtle charms of smaller details, such as the exquisite series of classical heads as vignettes between each terrace in a row close to the start of Wilson Street.

Macdonaldtown's streets were full of delightful surprises.
This charming decorative corbel is carved into the classically inspired head of a lady.  It separates a row of five 3 storey terraces at the western end of Wilson street. Some of them have been tastefully gentrified in harmonious neutral shades, while their neighbours sport shabby yet garish liquorice all-sorts colours. 
The hot pink terrace on the right reminds me of the time in 1986 when  a couple of local lads decided to beautify Macdonaldtown Station by painting it pink. All of it. Tables, chairs walls and even a pot plant were glued down and painted pink in an "overall effort to enhance the station". No conviction was recorded and the State Rail Authority's claim for damages was rejected by the Magistrate. I had hoped that the hot pink terrace had been occupied by these 2 intrepid painters, but they actually lived in Enfield at the time.

 'The Lady of the house' 
Row of terraces in Wilson street
2012 oil on canvas 18 x 13cm
Available
Enquiries about these paintings :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

Macdonaldtown, despite its freshly renovated railway station, is not actually a bona fide suburb.

It's a "locality". More of a state of mind, really. The slightly shabbier sister, always being dominated by her more prominent Newtown, St Peters, Enmore, Erskineville and Redfern.The hinterland ; with most of the local landmarks residing slightly outside her nebulous borders -the exciting King Street shopping strip; the funky CarriageWorks; the chimneys of the St Peters Brickworks; the Eveleigh Railway Workshops.

Macdonaldtown remains the almost invisible space in-between.

While painting in Macdonaldtown, I found most of her inhabitants actually denied living there. They lived in "Newtown", "South Newtown", "near Eveleigh", "west of CarriageWorks", "Hollis Park", "North Erskineville", even the marvellously convoluted "south of Wilson Street West". This could be influenced by the vagaries of  real estate prices rather than dislike of the name Macdonaldtown.

Macdonaldtown mostly consisted of terrace houses of the cheapest possible construction,generally 4 metres (13 ft) wide "two-up two-down" with a rear kitchen.They usually had adjoining walls only one brick thick and a continuous shared roofspace. Hundreds of these  formerly humble dwellings still remain and are rapidly being gentrified. 19th century property developers would build a row terminating in a house of 1 1/2 width at the corner of the street, to be used as a commercial premises, or "Corner Store".

'Someone to watch over me' 
2012 oil on canvas 20 x 25cm

Enquiries about these paintings :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

So this lion watching over a shabby shop on Erskineville Road opposite the Erskineville Hotel came as quite a surprise. This is the sort of rooftop sculpture that I would expect on a castle or mansion, rather than in the middle of a tatty row of terraces. It hints at a sort of delusion of grandeur.

 Only 1 person in the pub opposite had ever noticed it peering down at them!

'Derelict 'Edward Brooks'
factory in Wilson street  2012
oil on board 22 x 28cm

Enquiries about these paintings :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

Another architectural surprise.

The terraces at the northern and eastern end (closer to the University and the city) are as a rule far more prestigious than the workers cottages to the west and south, especially the row in Georgina Street and Warren Ball Avenue next to Hollis Park.

However, next to the very upmarket Hollis Park area, is the very large and very derelict 'Edward Brooks' factory, crumbling into Wilson Street. The winch above the window hints at its industrial past.

 'Edward Brooks building, Wilson Street'

2013 oil on canvas  46 x 92cm
Available
Enquiries about these paintings :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

This larger painting shows the steps up to the lovely park next door, and how the old factory contrasts with the freshly renovated terrace next door.

 The former 'Edward Brooks building' was known locally, rightly or wrongly as the 'Hat Factory'. By the size of the winch hats (and presumably heads) were a lot bigger back in the good old days!

 None of the locals have so far been able to tell me very much about its history. One man from the Erskineville Hotel, whose dad used to live 3 doors down, said that it was a foundry, which seems possible, although records show the "IronWorks" as being a block further west down the road at no. 150 Wilson Street.

His dad, like so many of the former residents of Macdonaldtown's workers terraces, was an employee of the Eveleigh Railway Workshops.Built in 1878, the Eveleigh Railway yards housed the Government Railway Stores and Workshops, and the Locomotive Engineer’s Department from 1901. Production declined in the 1970s and ceased in 1988. The site lay mostly disused til 1996 when the northern (Darlington) end was developed for a communications and science research facility known as the Australian Technology Park.  In 2002 the central part of the north-eastern site became the too cool for school Carriageworks performance space. The forecourt hosts weekly farmers' markets and monthly craft markets. 

 'Pediment with wheat sheaf-
old Henninges bakery in Wilson street -
now 'Original Finish'
2012 oil on canvas 20 x 20cm

Enquiries about these paintings :

janecooperbennett@gmail.com

The wheat sheaf on the pediment, reveals the original use of 'Original Finish' as a bakery.
The former Newtown Bread Factory, on the corner of Wilson and Watkin Streets, was run by Henry Henninges in the 19th century.The lane behind the factory still bears Henninges' name.

 Henry Henninges' bakery in 1912.

The building has been very sympathetically and respectfully restored, with small cracks and weathering bearing witness to its previous history,which is appropriate considering that its current occupier, 'Original Finish' specializes in antiques.

Henry Henninges Bakery in 1983

 The former 'Edward Brooks building had been occupied by squatters since about 2001.
The building had last changed hands (for a derisively small amount of money) in 1981. The owner apparently only lives a few blocks down the road, but allowed the property to rot, in a similar fashion to the Terminus Hotel and the Darling Island Bond and Free Store of Pyrmont. Landbanking played as an extreme sport.
Nature abhors a vacuum, so a variety of squatters and local community groups had apparently moved in.
They were forcibly evicted in a very heavy handed fashion by the riot squad on Thursday 31st July 2014.
The once-shunned building has now been bought for $1.7 million at a hotly contested auction and will now apparently be renovated rather than demolished. 

Related articles

Riot police raid Newtown Squat by Rose Powell, SMH Thursday 31st July 2014

Eveleigh Community Heritage Day